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The Right Test Preparation Materials
More Florida Students Take SAT and AP Exams than Ever Before According to a national release of SAT results, 97,366 of Florida’s 2007 high school graduates took the SAT – the largest number of Florida students to ever take the test. This number equates to an increase of 3 percent (2,765 graduates) over the previous year, which surpasses the national increase of 2 percent. In addition, the number of Florida test takers as a percentage of high school graduates was up slightly – from 63 percent to 63.6 percent – whereas the national percentage dipped slightly (down to 48.1 percent from 48.2 percent in 2006). The College Board also released Advanced Placement (AP) results, and for the second year in a row, Florida had the greatest one-year increase in the number of public school AP exam-takers when compared to all other states from 2006 to 2007. Florida continues to see steady increases in the percentage of minority students taking the SAT. Overall, minority student participation has increased to 46 percent, up from 44 percent in 2006. Nationwide, minority students represented 39 percent of the test taking population. In Florida, African-American students comprise 14 percent of the test takers, compared to 12 percent nationwide. Hispanic students in Florida comprise 23 percent of the test-takers, compared to 12 percent nationwide. Even with increased student participation, Florida’s average combined reading and math SAT score remained the same as last year (993). Scores were up one point on the reading portion and down one point on the math and writing portions. At the same time, the total score of the nation went down four points – one point on the reading portion and three points on the math and writing portions. While Florida’s overall score was the same as last year, the scores of minority students climbed. In comparison to last year, Florida African-American students increased their scores by six points and Hispanic students by one point. Nationally, the scores for African-American and Hispanic students dropped – one and two points respectively. Students in the Sunshine State continue to excel in AP participation and performance. From 2006 to 2007, the number of Florida AP exam takers increased by 14 percent (from 90,677 to 103,547 exam takers) compared to approximately 10 percent for the nation. Increases in Florida AP exam takers were highest among minority students. Overall, the number of minority students taking AP exams in Florida increased by 18 percent. According to the College Board, Florida had the greatest one-year increase in the number of African-American public school AP exam takers when compared to all other states and the second greatest increase in the number of Hispanic exam takers. The number of Florida African-American AP exam takers increased 29 percent and the number of Hispanic exam takers by 12 percent. Florida also had the second greatest increase in the number of students passing (receiving grades of 3-5) AP exams when compared to all other states from 2006 to 2007. The number of exams awarded a passing score (3-5) increased by 13 percent in Florida compared to 9 percent for the nation. Additionally, the number of Florida public school tenth graders taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which is offered free-of-charge to all Florida tenth graders, increased slightly from 2005 to 2006 – up from 67 percent to 67.6 percent. Again, Florida saw increases in the percentage of African-American and Hispanic tenth-grade students taking the PSAT/NMSQT. The SAT is a voluntary college entrance exam. SAT scores can be used for admission to a state university, Talented 20 program, meeting qualifications for the Bright Futures Scholarship Program or placement into regular college courses. Students may access information about the SAT and other college entrance exams through Florida's online student advising system, the Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students at www.FACTS.org. For more details on Florida's performance on the SAT and AP, visit www.fldoe.org/evaluation/. To learn more about Florida's unique partnership with the College Board, log on to www.collegeboard.com/floridapartnership. The College Board, in partnership with National Student Clearinghouse, is now able to track college-enrollment patterns of SAT takers at the state and national level. Available for the first time this year is the percentage of 2006 college-bound seniors from public schools enrolled in college and the percentage that chose to enroll in-state or out-of-state. Information on enrollment by race/ethnicity and type of institution attended (two year, four year, public, private) is also available. The College Board will be able to follow each class of SAT takers so that in future years, additional information, including the percentage of students successfully completing each year of college, as well as graduation rates, will be available. Two separate reports are available. To see Florida reports: http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/about/ about/news_info/cbsenior/yr2007/FL_07.pdf Teacher Training, Teacher Quality and Student Achievement Using longitudinal data from the state of Florida, this study examines the effects of various types of education and training on the ability of teachers to promote student achievement. It suggests that teacher training generally has little influence on productivity. One exception is that content-focused teacher professional development is positively associated with productivity in middle and high school math. In addition, more experienced teachers appear more effective in teaching elementary and middle school reading. There is no evidence that either pre-service (undergraduate) training or the scholastic aptitude of teachers influences their ability to increase student achievement. Full paper: The Effects of NBPTS-Certified Teachers on Student Achievement This study considers the efficacy of a certification system for teachers established by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The authors utilize a four-year span of the longitudinal data from Florida to determine the relationship between teacher NBPTS certification and student test scores on low-stakes and high-stakes exams. They find evidence that NBPTS certification provides a positive signal of teacher productivity in some cases, but it is highly variable. The process of becoming NBPTS certified does not appear to increase teacher productivity nor do NBPTS-certified teachers appear to enhance the productivity of their colleagues. Full paper: Stranahan High School Named One of America's Most Improved High Schools by the College Board One of Three Schools in the Nation to Receive a $25,000 Inspiration Award Stranahan High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has been selected as one of three outstanding high schools nationwide to be named a College Board 2007 Inspiration Award winner." The Inspiration Awards honor those high schools that initiate unique programs and create partnerships among teachers, parents, community organizations, and local businesses to help more students pursue a college education. Each winning school receives a $25,000 award, and each of four honorable mention schools receives $1,000 to apply toward programs that encourage students to attend college. About Stranahan High School Stranahan High School is a diverse school of more than 1,750 students, with 88 percent from minority backgrounds and 57 percent who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Yet these challenges have not stopped the second oldest high school in Broward County. Almost 25 percent of Stranahan's students took an AP® Exam in 2006, with 720 exams scheduled to be administered this May. Stranahan encourages a college-going mind-set among its students early on. Through its DragonFest, a schoolwide weekly advisory, students learn about college guidelines and postsecondary education. Created and guided by teachers, this program encourages excellence with a goal of successful transitions. Stranahan also participates in Broward County's Urban Teacher Academy Program (UTAP), designed to prepare high school students for careers in education and to support them as they enroll in postsecondary education with the goal of becoming urban school teachers in their own communities. Stranahan's small learning communities also promote opportunities for students to be exposed to the world of work and careers with frequent internships at local businesses and hospitals. Stranahan's ninth-grade academy, known as the Community Career Research, Exploration, and Successful Transition (CREST), was created to help ninth-graders successfully transition to high school while exploring careers. School District of Palm Beach County Adopts LifeStories for Kids™ Program Research-Based Character Education Program Chosen for District-Wide Use The School District of Palm Beach County in Florida purchased its award-winning LifeStories for Kids™ Character Education Program. The Palm Beach district is the 11th largest in the U.S. and the 5th largest in Florida. The LifeStories program will be used for grades three through five in elementary schools throughout the district. “We were attracted to the LifeStories for Kids program because of its use of storytelling,” said Kim Williams, Assistant Director of the Prevention Center in the School District of Palm Beach County. “Kids learn best when they are engaged in the process, especially through the use of sight, sound, motion and emotion.” The LifeStories program is an easy-to-use teaching tool that guides classrooms to explore, enhance and reinforce understanding of good character traits and prosocial skills. This rich, multimedia program is backed by more than 12 years of scientific study and combines evidence-based practices for skill building with engaging stories. The lessons in LifeStories have been proven to significantly decrease shy, withdrawn behavior as well as fighting, teasing, and other forms of direct and relational aggression.
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